Archives: May 2012

Tim Barry recently released 40 Miler, his fifth solo full-length and first for Chunksaah Records. The album is filled with honesty, optimism and a sense of resiliency, as Barry continues to grow more content with age. The record also features added instrumentation, like violin and piano, but at its heart is what fans have come to enjoy most, and that’s Tim’s voice and his acoustic guitar. We spoke with Barry after his recent show at Beat Kitchen and discussed the meaning of the album’s title, what’s behind some of its lyrics, his upcoming shows in Australia and more. Continue Reading…

The Sidekicks hail from Columbus, Ohio and formed in 2005. Their sound could be described as a mixture of indie rock and power pop, with influences ranging from Superchunk to early Weezer. However, on the band’s latest album, Awkward Breeds, they’ve definitely matured and developed their own unique style. We met with the group before their recent show at Beat Kitchen and discussed the new record at length, as well as their hometown, Red Scare Industries, touring and more. The Sidekicks’ lineup in comprised of singer/guitarist Steven Ciolek, guitarist Matt Scheuermann, bassist Ryan Starinsky and drummer Matt Climer. Continue Reading…

Babylon marks the debut of Matt Skiba’s latest solo endeavor and the results are surprisingly positive. It’s definitely his best solo release yet and arguably the most memorable record he’s made in the last ten years. Also appearing on the album are AFI bassist Hunter Burgan and My Chemical Romance drummer Jarrod Alexander, both of whom do a skilled and dutiful job, but thankfully don’t get too flashy. This is imperative because they don’t overshadow what’s most important here, and that’s the exceptional songwriting. Babylon kicks off with of “Voices” and “All Fall Down”, which represent two of the record’s strongest tracks. Both are hyper-melodic and very much in the vein of Alkaline Trio’s From Here to Infirmary. They feature inspired lyrics and a renewed vocal strength from Skiba, and fortunately those characteristics are present throughout the album. “Haven’t You?” first appeared on Skiba’s 2010 full-length Demos, but here the heartfelt ballad is enhanced with the addition of keyboards and a rhythm section. Other high points include the haunting anthem that is “You” and the huge, infectious chorus of “How the Hell Did We Get Here?” Babylon concludes with a somber acoustic number called “Angel of Deaf”, and it ranks up there with Skiba’s best stripped-down closers, like “Sorry About That” and “Blue in the Face.” All in all, this is a catchy summertime record that doesn’t lose its appeal with repeated listens. Skiba’s voice sounds great and his writing is in top form, and hopefully that carries over to the next Trio album. Those searching for quality new music shouldn’t delay in checking this out.

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Originally a printed zine from 1998 – 2004, our goal is to provide coverage of Chicago’s expansive independent music community, and to occasionally highlight some of our past work. National and international bands will be featured as well, but above all, we hope to create lasting content for music fans everywhere.